They warn that if the meeting is not held they will be forced “even to an imminent strike call”
MADRID, 28 Oct. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Associations of Lawyers of the Administration of Justice (LAJs) have sent a letter to Minister Pilar Llop to request a meeting to find out if the Ministry is going to comply with the remuneration commitments acquired last April. They have warned that if the meeting is not held, they will be led “even to an imminent call for a strike.”
The Progressive Union of Lawyers of the Administration of Justice (UPSJ), the Independent Association (AinLAJ) and the Illustrious National College have issued a joint statement in which they have specified that they sent the letter to Llop “more than a week ago”.
“Despite the fact that an urgent call was requested, and despite the growing discontent of the group, which has been becoming clear in the assemblies that are being called in all the judicial districts, there is no date for that meeting,” they have pointed out.
The signatory associations of the statement have recalled that last April the Ministry of Justice assumed the commitment to modify this year the Royal Remuneration Decrees to improve the conditions of lawyers.
“After seven months, only a flagrant breach of the word given can be verified,” they stressed. In this sense, they have emphasized that the modification of the population groups “has not followed the appropriate rhythm” as “a consequence of the inaction of the Ministry”. And they have affected that Justice did not present any amendment in the processing of the Organic Law Project of Organizational Efficiency.
Ministerial sources have pointed out to Europa Press that the statement is based on the “false premise” that Justice failed to comply with Additional Provision 157 of the General State Budget Law for 2021. As they have underlined, the salary adequacy referred to in the associations was fulfilled “in a timely manner” and led to the agreement signed in December that has been “implemented in its exact terms” by the Ministry of Justice.
The same sources have indicated that the department led by Llop has worked to improve the conditions of the LAJs Corps, which receives annual gross remuneration ranging from 38,906 to 53,242 euros, separate guards and substitutions. Along the way, they have ensured that these amounts have been increased by an average of 5.3% as a result of the application of the aforementioned Additional Provision.
In addition, these sources have recalled that the recent union agreement for the entire public function represents an additional increase of 9.5% in three years, for which, in total, the salary of the Lawyers of the Administration of Justice has been increased in 14.8% in three years.
The three associations have insisted that a meeting with Llop is necessary “in the coming days” so that “a clear and precise calendar is offered that allows the immediate entry into force of the new population groups.”
The signatories have also demanded that “the majority parliamentary group that supports the Government” guarantee that “the amendment presented by Ciudadanos that finally entered the processing of the Organizational Efficiency Bill, known as the hook clause, will be supported.”
In this sense, they have stressed that if the minister does not comply “she must assume the consequences of keeping a body such as the Lawyers of the Administration of Justice in conflict.”
“We hope that the situation will be redirected immediately and the necessary measures will be adopted by the Ministry to fulfill its own commitments and, thereby, avoid the consequences of a possible strike by lawyers from the Administration of Justice,” they added.
